Is 'America's Got Talent' fixed? Just ask contestant Arcadian Broad.

After his semifinal performance last night, Broad accused the 'Talent' producers of forcing him to do a 'High School Musical'-esque dance routine -- a routine that failed to impress judge Piers Morgan. "Are you good enough to get to the final?" Piers asked. "The answer would be no."

Broad tried to explain himself -- "I didn't have this planned. I didn't want to do 'High School Musical,' and the producers gave me this hand," he said -- but was quickly cut off by both Piers and fellow judge Sharon Osbourne. "It's not about what you did tonight. It's purely about your technical ability as a dancer," Piers said. Even host Nick Cannon jumped in to say each contestant ultimately has a final say in what they perform.Is 'America's Got Talent' fixed? Just ask contestant Arcadian Broad.

After his semifinal performance last night, Broad accused the 'Talent' producers of forcing him to do a 'High School Musical'-esque dance routine -- a routine that failed to impress judge Piers Morgan. "Are you good enough to get to the final?" Piers asked. "The answer would be no."

Broad tried to explain himself -- "I didn't have this planned. I didn't want to do 'High School Musical,' and the producers gave me this hand," he said -- but was quickly cut off by both Piers and fellow judge Sharon Osbourne. "It's not about what you did tonight. It's purely about your technical ability as a dancer," Piers said. Even host Nick Cannon jumped in to say each contestant ultimately has a final say in what they perform.

The issue of how big a role producers play in the outcome of reality competitions is one that has plagued many, most notably 'American Idol.' In the past, 'Idol' producers have been accused of using a number of manipulative tactics to influence results (among them the "pimp slot," the night's final performance, where popular contestants like David Archuleta and Adam Lambert are often featured).

But for 'Talent' -- a show that continually asks its contestants to "up their game" -- Broad's accusations are especially troublesome, given the season 4 finale is just two weeks away. Assuming what he said is true, it's possible the producers may have been trying to pull a few strings of their own.

Which leads us to ask: Whose side of the story do you believe? Do you think the 'Talent' contestants have free will? Or are the producers really calling the shots?

See how it all went down

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